1879 Tom Valentine CDV Baby Photo, NYC by Samuel Archer Thomas

#1027

On reverse:  "Tom Valentine, Feb 14th 1879" is handwritten in ink pen. Photo type: CDV Carte de Visite Photograph, Victorian. Photographer: S.A.Thomas, 719 6th Avenue New York, New York County, NY who advertised his "Rembrandt Effects." (known to be early daguerreotype photographer Samuel Archer Thomas 1824-1894 who began his daguerreotype business in the city in 1853. His parents were both born in England, and they all arrived in NYC around 1850. His specialty was photographing children, although he was a master photographer of all subjects. His studio was opposite Bryant Park. In the 1870 census, at age 36 he is living in NYC with his wife Jane Thomas (age 35) and two sons, Frank Thomas, age 18 & George Thomas age 20, who were both photography assistants in their father's studio. In the 1880 census, he was living with a new wife, Dora Thomas (born 1850) and his 91 year old mother Jane Thomas, born 1789 in England. Samuel Thomas passed away in NYC on 8 July 1894 at the age of 71 and is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, Bronx County, New York)

Found in Public Genealogy Records:
Thomas Valentine in the U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885
Gender: Male
Race: White
Estimated birth year: abt 1878
Birth Place: New York
Age: 11/12 months
Death Date: Jun 1879
Cause of Death: Whooping Cough
Census Year: 1880
Census Place: Brooklyn, Kings, New York, USA

Thomas Valentine in the New York, New York, Extracted Death Index, 1862-1948
Name: Thomas Valentine
Age: 11/12 months
Birth Year: abt 1878
Death Date: 13 Jun 1879
Death Place: Kings County, New York, USA

Sadly, the only Tom Valentine we could find in NYC was an infant baby boy Thomas who died in June 1879, and we believe this to be him. We do not know his parent's names as he never made it into the 1880 census. This often happens with children who are born and die between the 10 year census years, and in this case it would be between 1870 and 1880. The reverse has remnants of mucilage, as if it was glued at one time into a photo album or scrapbook.

Note: The SA Thomas studio was in Bryant Park, a 9 acre public park today between Fifth & Sixth Avenues and between 40th & 42nd Streets in Midtown Manhattan. 

Such an interesting photo of a much loved baby boy wearing a long handmade lace gown and sitting on a Victorian setee. Incidently, his name is Tom Valentine, and it was taken on Valentines Day in 1879 by SA Thomas, one of the city's premier Victorian era children's photographers.

Size: 2.5 x 4 inches
      Note: Hello from ~debra. I have spent years collecting over 10,000 ID’d lost family photos & paper from US flea markets & antique shops. I do the best gen research I can, but am always open to corrections. This is an original antique item, not a reprint. A new high quality rigid sleeve is included for extra protection, especially during shipping. You may buy a piece alone, or large intimate 300 dpi scans of the front and back sent immediately via email, or both. Please search carefully, as they are often found together and many may be related. I also invite you to join me at Ancestorville Genealogy on facebook. Thank you, enjoy! ~Debra Clifford (contact info on top bar)